1. Field of Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to anchors for securing surgical suture to bone. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to arthroscopic apparatus and methods for anchoring suture to bone using an anchor preferably having an eyelet formed to reduce or eliminate damage to the suture associated with passing the suture through the eyelet.
2. Description of Related Art
When soft tissue tears away from bone, reattachment becomes necessary. Various devices, including sutures alone, screws, staples, wedges, and plugs have been used to secure soft tissue to bone. Various types of suture anchors have been developed for this purpose. Some suture anchors are designed to be inserted into a pre-drilled hole, while other suture anchors are threaded and self-tapping. Some suture anchors include an eyelet for receiving a suture, while other anchors are cylindrical and adapted for holding a knotted piece of suture, while still other anchors include a strand of suture insert molded in the anchor.
What is still desired, however, is an improved suture anchor for use in reattaching soft tissue to bone. Preferably, the improved suture anchor will include at least one eyelet for receiving a surgical suture and which allows a relatively large angle of entry and a gentle lead in for a suture threaded through the eyelet, while minimizing damage to the suture. What are also desired are arthroscopic apparatus and methods for anchoring suture to bone using such an anchor, and wherein the apparatus and methods themselves are adapted to minimize damage to a suture threaded through the eyelet of the anchor.
The present disclosure provides a suture anchor for securing soft tissue to bone, including a body extending from a proximal end to a distal end along a longitudinal axis, and at least one eyelet extending between opposite lateral surfaces of the body for receiving a suture. The eyelet defines two entry/exit void regions and a central void region extending between the entry/exit void regions along an axis extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the body. Each entry/exit void region extends from one of the lateral surfaces of the body, has an axis forming an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the body, and has a surface comprising a segment of a conic surface extending about the axis of the entry/exit void region and tapering inward towards the longitudinal axis of the body.
The present design of the eyelet allows for greater angles of suture entry, a gentle lead in and minimal damage to a suture thread passed through the eyelet.
Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.